January 4th, 2026 Newsletter--Happy New Year!
Cybil Schroder
THIS SUNDAY, Jan 4th
Dear Friends,
Our Meeting for Worship is from
10:00 - 11:00, at 15 Second Ave in San Mateo
or join us online at this link
San Mateo Worship Group Events
Hope you can make it for this Sunday’s Worship!
Palo Alto Events
If you would like to deepen your worship experience throughout the week, we encourage people to join one of Palo Alto meeting’s or Ben Lomond Quaker Center’s midweek activities.
Wednesday, 8am Online: Mindfulness Meditation (Zoom)
Wednesday, 4:30pm Palo Alto In-person Midweek Worship
Wednesday, 6pm Online Mid-week Worship (Zoom) Palo Alto Friends
Ben Lomond Quaker Center
Daily online meeting for worship from 7:30 until 8:00 a.m.
Wednesday mornings, 10 a.m. online worship sharing.
Thursdays in January (Jan 8, 15, 22 & 29) 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. online. How can a deeply rooted inner life sustain courageous action for justice? We’ll explore Howard Thurman’s 1944 prose-poem The Great Incarnate Word using the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina—prayerful, unhurried reading and reflection of short passages.
January 23-25, Clerking Today, in-person,with Barbara Babin. learn the basics of the beautiful Quaker practice of Clerking: the workshop will be targeted towards clerking committees, clerking the Meeting, clerking oneself as a participant in a Meeting for Business or a committee meeting, and the good order of Friends. Anyone who clerks/convenes or even thinks about taking on those responsibilities is encouraged to go to this workshop using scholarship funds.
February (Feb 2, 9, 16 & 23) 6:30 – 8 p.m. Quaker Prayer an online program with Mary Miche. This online workshop will use short videos and guided, worshipful discussion to explore the rich varieties and common threads within the practice and experience of prayer among Friends.
Ben Lomond Quaker center calendar for 2026 here and also on our bulletin board.
The Larger Quaker Community
January 13, 4:00 - 5:30 pm, Online. Pendle Hill January Reading Group Worship sharing on Carol Conti-Entin’s "Improvisation and Spiritual Disciplines: Continuing the Divine-Human Duet" (PHP #288)
January 21, 4:30- 5:30 pm, online. Quaker Leadership Center Info Session: A webinar introducing the resources of the Quaker Leadership Center, a ministry of Earlham School of Religion.
January 27, 10 -11am. An online Generative Leadership Forum Info Session, a deep dive into the inner work of leadership, grounded in Generative Leadership competencies and Quaker practices.
Saturday, January 17, 9:30 am. College Park Quarterly Friends, especially representatives from Monthly Meetings, are invited to our Winter Quarterly business session. Register to receive the zoom link here and agenda here.
Sunday, Jan 25, 1 pm, San Jose Friends present afternoon entertainment on the fourth Sundays of January, February, and March A diverse and dynamic slate of performers will share their talents with the public as part of a yearlong celebration of the 140th anniversary of the oldest Quaker meeting house west of Iowa. This is part of an ongoing fundraiser to make their meetinghouse ADA accessible.
Saturday, April 4, there will be a regional gathering of Friends from San Mateo to San Luis Obispo at Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills. For those who cannot travel to the April 4 regional Friends meeting at Hidden Villa, in Los Altos Hills, there will be a Zoom-only "gathering."
Faith and Play Stories for Children’s Religious Education. Bayard Rustin Speaks Truth to Power, Four Doors to Meeting for Worship, and Sarah Mapps Douglass and the Truth of the Back Bench.
Pacific Yearly Meeting online meetings for worship: Saturdays 10-11:30 a.m.; Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m.; and Wednesdays 7-7:30 p.m. Join from the PacYM calendar.
Advocacy: AFSC, FCNL, FCLCA, QEW, RSWR, Community Groups
Saturday, January 10, from 12:30-2pm, Friends Peace Teams. A Return to the Earth: Module 1: Cultural Perspectives Presented by Nia To Go There (Cree). The first module of a 4-part series Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples will host a series of four webinars to guide Friends through different cultural perspectives.
Friday, January 16 - Sun, January 18, Online: Non violent Communication Annual conference. The gathering brings together people from across the globe who care about compassion, understanding, and living with more intention. Together we'll share practices, learn new skills, and support one another in bringing NVC more fully into our daily lives.
Thursday, Jan 22, 4:30 pm. Thursdays for 4 sessions ending Feb. 12. Right Sharing Of World Resources virtual workshop "Money, Self, and Community".
Saturday, January 24, 1 p.m. online Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet. Drawing on Thích Nhất Hạnh’s teachings and years of facilitation, explore how mindfulness, community, and joy help us face the climate crisis without burning out – and how simple practices like deep listening, compassionate dialogue, and mindful rest can strengthen our Earthcare witness.
Sunday, January 25, 4:00 to 5:30 pm. Quaker Call to Action: From Exhaustion to Enthusiasm, Joyful Resistance in a Time of Tyranny. A spiritually grounded space for Friends to listen, share, and discern your call to witness for Truth. The National Zoom Call will feature Phil Gulley, noted Quaker pastor. Click here to register.